154 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 



from many OrcUdetB. Pew may be aware that the Cajeput-oil of India 



IS obtained from trees veiy similar to our common Melalenc(S ; and that 

 even from the leaves of the Eucalypti an oil can be procured of equal 

 utility. The Sandarac, exuding from the Callitris or Pine-tree, the 

 balsamic resin of the Grass-trees, and, moreover, the Eucalyptus gum, 

 which could be gathered in boundless quantities, and which for its 

 astringent qualities might here at least supersede the use of kino or 

 catechu, will probably at a future period form articles of export. 



Several Acacim are of essential service, either for their durable wood, 

 or for the abundance of tannin in their bark, which has rendered them 

 already useful, or for their gum; but the latter is even excelled in 

 clearness and solubility by that obtained from Pittosjiorum acacioides. 

 This species, as well as many other plants of the same Order, is dis- 

 tinguished by a surprising yet apparently harmless bitterness — a qua- 

 lity that warrants our expecting considerable medicinal power, and 

 which deserves so much more attention, as till now we know nothing 

 of the usefulness of the Fittosporece, although this Order extends over 

 a great part of the eastern hemisphere. 



The Australian Manna consists in a saccharine secretion, condensed 

 chiefly by the Cicades from a few species of Eucalypti, but is chemically 

 very differently constituted to the Orms Manna, and much less aperient. 

 All our splendid Biosmece, a real ornament to the country, approach 

 more or less in properties to the Buckus of South Africa, 



Bmckea utilis, from Mount Aberdeen, might serve travellers in those 

 desolate localities as tea, for the volatile oil of its leaves resembles 

 greatly in taste and odour that of lemons — not without a pleasant, 

 peculiar aroma. Trigonella stiavissima proved valuable as an antiscor- 

 butic spinach in Sir Thomas Mitchell's expedition; and the Tetrago- 

 nella implexicoma , the various Cardamines,Nastu7'tium ierrestre, smdZatv- 

 rencia spicata, may likewise be used for the same purpose. The root 

 oi Scorzonera Lawrencei — a favourite food of the natives— would form, if 

 enlarged by culture, an agreeable substitute foi Scorzonera Hispanica, or 

 Asparagus ; QXiAAnisotome glacialis—^ large-rooted Umbelliferous plant, 

 from the snowy top of Mount Buller — will be added perhaps hereafter 

 to the culinary vegetables of the colder climates. Seeds of the latter 

 plants have been procured for the Botanic Gardens. Santaluin lanceo- 



Mesembryanthemum cequilaterale, Leptomeria pungens, and Lepty 



mena 



